Boilers, along with diesel cars, are counted as some of the major sources of urban fine dust. (image: Incheon Jung District Office)
SEOUL, Mar. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Installing eco-friendly hot water boilers will become mandatory for all residences as South Korea seeks to reduce airborne fine dust.
The South Korean Ministry of Environment said on Tuesday that a subcommittee at the National Assembly held a meeting to discuss the mandatory installation of eco-friendly boilers.
It is expected that relevant legislation processes will commence without much opposition since given the recent designation of fine dust as a ‘social disaster’.
The legislation will include a new provision placing a maximum limit on emissions for home-use boilers, stipulating that boilers that do not meet the eco-friendly standards shall be banned from supply and sale.
Any person violating the provision will be sentenced to one year of imprisonment or a fine of 10 million won (US$8,800).
Boilers, along with diesel cars, are counted as some of the major sources of urban fine dust.
The majority of fine dust in Seoul is caused by facilities in the heaters and generators category (39 percent). Within this category, boilers account for as much as 46 percent of the creation of fine dust.
Eco-friendly boilers emit only one-eighth of the nitrogen oxide, a major source of fine dust, produced by other type of boilers.
“We cannot expect anything at this point,” said a ministry official. “But public interest and concern for fine dust will speed up the legislative process.”
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
